Match Report: Yeovil Town 3 Tamworth 2

Yeovil Town served up a five-goal thriller in front of the biggest crowd of the season at Huish Park to retain their unbeaten start to the National League season.

Captain Luke McCormick gave the Glovers the lead with 17 minutes after another impressive start but were pegged back when a counter attack found Jake Hutchinson at the back post and he levelled.

Mason Obeng and Ryan Jones’ efforts were both given a helping hand in to the net before Tamworth showed their never-say-die attitude to reduce the advantage through Kieren Donnelly with 20 minutes still to play.

But the real drama came in the closing stages when the visitors thought they had levelled through Hayden Hollis only for the officials to rule the goal out for offside as both sides were ready to restart. Then, with the final kick of the game, McCormick won a penalty and hit it against the inside of the post.

A breathless finish, but at the end of it the unbeaten start was intact.

First half

Billy Rowley made seven changes to the starting XI which started the 2-1 win at Barrow less than three days earlier with all the substitutes for that match starting and all those dropping out named on the bench.

The boss called for another quick start from his side and an early goal almost came after just four minutes when visiting keeper Rhys Lovett tipped over a Brett McGavin effort from the edge of the box before Johl Powell, one of those seven changes, fired wide five minutes later. Whilst there has not been a goal in the opening ten minutes, the Glovers have been in complete control in these opening exchanges.

Jos Barker was called in to action on 12 minutes when he got down well to deny Tamworth forward Kieren Donnelly, but it was Yeovil who deservedly took the lead through a fantastic team goal. McGavin engineered a move forward before darting in to the box to collect a pass from Spasov and flicked it to Luke McCORMICK who slid in to make no mistake for his fourth goal in the last three games.

Tamworth thought they had levelled when Donnelly fired in to the top corner, only for the offside flag to deny him. It is a warning that, despite our impressive start to this match, the opposition still have plenty of threat. They showed exactly that on 31 minutes when Tamworth equaliser. A quick move forward from the back found Yeovil’s defence out of position as Tom McGlinchey strode forward, laid it off to TJ Bramble whose ball across the face of goal picked out Jake HUTCHINSON completely unmarked at the back post to smash past Barker.

We have kept pressing forward looking for a second and Tamworth took advantage with a quick break, we simply could not get back in to our defensive shape quick enough. Credit to the visitors, they took their opportunity ruthlessly but that will be watched back in the post-match review – possibly more than once.

They almost did it again on 38 minutes when a long ball forward found Donnelly down the right side, he tore forward and his effort was tipped over by Barker. Another warning of what Tamworth can do, if we needed one.

Two contrasting styles. Expansive, possession-based from Yeovil, whilst Tamworth are looking to hit the Glovers on the counter attack – and that’s exactly how both goals have come about. Level at the break, but an enjoyable opening 45 minutes.

Half-time: Yeovil Town 1 Tamworth 1

Second half

There were no changes for either side at the break. The first chance of the half fell to the visitors after Mason Obeng was muscled off inside the box and the ball fell to Oliver Dyson just inside the box and he curled an effort wide.

There was movement on the Yeovil substitutes bench and, perhaps realising he might be at risk, Mason OBENG made himself difficult to withdraw as he restored Yeovil’s lead. McGavin picked him out on the right side and the winger moved in to the box and his effort deflected off Joe Rye and in to the net.

The changes happened anyway with Ryan Jones replacing Daly and Ben Radcliffe coming on for Loick Ayina as the two sides lined up for the restart.

But, yet again, Tamworth gave us an almost immediate warning as Roberts’ high cross in from the left found Donnelly on the back post and he headed over. A better chance than the finish it got.

On the hour mark, one of the most obvious handballs I’ve seen since Harry Maguire’s for Manchester United on Sunday was not given by referee Matthew Scholes and Tamworth broke and Donnelly got a shot in which Barker got down to.

Zain Westbrooke and Archie Davies replaced Johl Powell and Hayden Muller on 64 minutes and two minutes later Ryan JONES extended Yeovil’s lead. The winger picked the ball up just inside his own half, cut in from the left and fired in a shot which deflected off Tamworth defender Hayden Hollis and in to the net.

But, Tamworth are not the types to fold and they got one back three minutes later. The Lambs got a cross in from the left despite the presence of plenty of Yeovil defenders, it flashed across the face of goal and Kieren DONNELLY was there to turn it in at the back post. They have always been a threat despite not seeing much of the ball and you have to credit their never-say-die attitude.

Barker was called in to action again when another Tamworth counter attack on 76 minutes was Donnelly denied and two minutes later McGavin’s effort from just inside the box flew just wide. Jordan Norville-Williams replaced Obeng with 11 minutes of normal time left.

With 88 minutes on the clock, a scramble on the goal line just about denied when Barker threw himself on the ball and moments later the visitors levelled – or so they thought. A long punt forward from Lovett was headed up in the air by Norville-Williams, Morgan Roberts’ jumped with Barker who had come a long way off his line and beat the keeper, the ball looped up and there was Hayden Hollis to head it in to an unguarded net. Tamworth celebrated and everyone inside Huish Park thought it was a goal, ran back to the halfway and then the game stopped. The assistant’s flag is up……but it wasn’t up when the ball hit the net or when the visiting players celebrated in front of him. In fact, it didn’t go up until he had spoken to the referee.

This correspondent is not the best one to decipher that for you, but the best guess I can make is that because Radcliffe was the only covering defender and Hollis was behind the keeper, it’s offside. I might need to defer to Gloverscast Ben to explain that one.

But, there was still more drama to come from this game in the penultimate minute of the seven added on as McCormick went clear through on goal and was brought down inside the box by Lovett. Penalty given, just a yellow card for the keeper. McCormick stepped up his effort came off the inside of the post and away.

The final whistle came seconds after the restart. Yeovil unbeaten as August comes to an end and up to fourth in the National League Premier Division table – but it is only five games gone, of course.

Full time: Yeovil Town 3 Tamworth 2

Substitutes: Ben Radcliffe (for Loick Ayina, 54), Ryan Jones (for James Daly, 54), Zain Westbrooke (for Hayden Muller, 65), Archie Davies (for Johl Powell, 65) Jordan Norville-Williams (for Mason Obeng, 79), Charlie Lennon (not used), Ste Walker (not used).

Tamworth: Rhys Lovett, Joe Rye, Jordan Cullinane-Liburd, Hayden Hollis, Luke Fairlamb (for Riccardo Calder, 86), Tom McGlinchey (for Nathan Tshikuna, 86), Oliver Dyson (for Teo Kurtaran, 73), TJ Bramble (for Ben Milnes, 73), Morgan Roberts, Kieren Donnelly, Jake Hutchinson (for Ben Acquaye, 73).

Substitutes (not used): Daniel Rachel, Tom Parkes.